Pleasant Grove PD adds new K9 to force
Corporal Glenn Giles plays with his new police dog, Havoc, at the Pleasant Grove police department on Friday..
Corporal Glenn Giles plays with his new police dog, Havoc, at the Pleasant Grove police department on Friday.
Corporal Glenn Giles plays with his new police dog, Havoc, at the Pleasant Grove police department on Friday.
Corporal Glenn Giles plays with his new police dog, Havoc, at the Pleasant Grove police department on Friday, August 15, 2014. Havoc is Pleasant Grove's first K9 officer and is currently being trained to be a drug dog. IAN MAULE, Daily Herald
Corporal Glenn Giles plays with his new police dog, Havoc, at the Pleasant Grove police department on Friday, August 15, 2014. Havoc is Pleasant Grove's first K9 officer and is currently being trained to be a drug dog. IAN MAULE, Daily Herald
PLEASANT GROVE – A new police dog has joined the ranks of the Pleasant Grove Police Department to help in the city’s fight against drug crimes.
Havoc, a 10-month-old German shepherd, was donated to the department by Havoc K9, an organization dedicated to training dogs for law enforcement work.
“This is a dream I’ve had,” said Ricki Draper, Havoc K9 executive director. “I wanted to give back to the community.”
Draper said her organization breeds, raises, trains and donates dogs to police departments.
“We give them a really solid foundation,” she said about the dogs.
Draper heard the Pleasant Grove Police Department’s dog was retiring, creating the need for a replacement. That’s when she decided to provide the city with Havoc.
“It’s very exciting for us,” she said.
Havoc, named by the police department to honor the organization that donated him, is the first dog Havoc K9 has donated to a police department.
“Not every dog that we have will make it to K9,” Draper said.
However, Havoc has what it takes.
“He is ready to work,” she said.
Trainers with the Eden-based organization focus on four areas while preparing the dogs for service: scent detection, preliminary bite work, obedience and environmental work.
According to a press release from the Pleasant Grove Police Department, a police dog such as Havoc would typically cost between $5,000 and $10,000.
The dog is currently enrolled in drug detection school at POST (Police Officer Standards and Training). The class will last six weeks, and will enable both the dog and his handler to be certified in drug detection.
“For now, Havoc is a single-purpose dog, which means he will only be used for drug detection,” said Pleasant Grove Police Department Lt. Britt Smith. “His skills will greatly assist officers in drug interdiction cases. Havoc is expected to help officers seize drugs that may have otherwise gone undetected and unprosecuted.”
There is a possibility Havoc will also be used for tracking and apprehension when he is older.
“We are leaving the door open to the possibility of training him to do those tasks in the future if he demonstrates the natural drive to do it,” Smith said.
For the next three years, Havoc will be teamed up with Cpl. Glenn Giles. The dog is expected to serve with the Pleasant Grove Police Department until he is approximately 8 years old.
“The police department is so excited about Havoc,” Smith said.
For more information about the Havoc K9 organization visit www.havock9.com.
